


It Was Always You

by That_Familiar_Feeling



Series: To Be Found [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, and his dad wasn't that awful, hopeful kid, keith is slowly turning more galran
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 06:19:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12699108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/That_Familiar_Feeling/pseuds/That_Familiar_Feeling
Summary: When Keith was young, he thought he was cursed.Looking back- he realizes it was only ever a sign.-----------The silly idea took root and needed to be fully fleshed out while I watched a hr livestream. So here, take this angstier edition.





	1. Chapter 1

The moon was hanging low that night. Thin veil like clouds gathering across the sky and drifting between the rising peaks of the surrounding mountain range.   
The sky was drowning in moonlight it seemed, but even so, the whole universe had laid itself out across that tapestry above.  
When the night was this clear, the desert was a singularly pale expanse of bone-white land; the familiar red and brown hues of sand and stone were completely washed away.

_“You’re not like the other kids, you’re never going to be. You’re stronger, more dangerous harder to control. You’re just like her…”_

The door to the shack had opened with a loud creak, but it hardly mattered anymore.   
This was just a rest stop for them, and they had to skirt out far enough to avoid the strenuous military activity nearby. They were never safe, but this was pushing it to limit.

By the morning, before the sun ever rose, they would be on the road again and the ‘search’ would be back on. It wasn’t clear what the search was for, and maybe his father didn’t know anymore either...

_“You’re gonna start changing eventually. And it’s going to be harder to hide. You’ll know when it comes...no...listen to me son you.will.know.”_

There was a small hill just in front of the shack. It was the highest point for a few miles and felt like the right kind of place to sit and stare at the sky. A small boy trudged up the slope and plopped down in the center. The sand would take forever to shake out of his only pair of pajamas, but he didn’t really care.

He sat cross-legged and looked up at the sky with wide questioning eyes.

_“One day you’ll understand. You won’t have to choose at all- It’s your destiny Keith.”_

Keith gently tugged up the sleeve of his pajama shirt, rolling it up past his elbow and holding his arm out in front of him. Controlled curves, and delicate dots. Each line was neatly made and left no raised skin when he gingerly ran his finger across the markings.

_“This...this responsibility. It’s your legacy, your heritage all of it! It’s who you are and it’s been apart of your blood all along.”_

When Keith woke up this morning his arm had been bare and unblemished. The occasional mole and the obvious freckles yes- but there hadn’t been a mark like this.  
It had started slowly, when he woke up his Dad had shuffled him out of the tent and gotten the gear packed while Keith ran through his fast-paced morning routine.

In the car he was content with watching the plain landscape go skirting by. The sky gradually growing lighter and bluer as they traveled farther south-west. Then he’d noticed the dots.

A splatter was the most accurate description. Small and medium sized dots that started at his wrist and worked towards his inner elbow. He didn’t think much of it, maybe he’d gotten some oil or dirt on himself and didn’t notice.

By the afternoon however, his arm was slowly being covered by more marks. And in the better light the color was to dark and neat to be random stains.  
The shapes started to form and he could faintly tell was happening, but the fact he had mysterious markings covering his arm was enough to make him panic.

Circles and curves were taking up the space on his arm, and he was terrified his dad would notice.

He kept his jacket on and when asked he claimed to be chilly. His dad had frowned and told him to keep it on, didn’t need the kid getting sick this far from any town.

Keith huddled into his seat and pressed his hand to his arm, mind running over what he could do about this. Maybe he could pretend it was marker, but his Dad had been with him all day and there was no way he could fool him.

As the day dragged on and the air became drier- Keith became more distressed. He gnawed on his lip and when he had the chance he glanced at his arm was dismayed to see a fuller image each time. What was this? What was happening! He couldn’t ask Dad, he just couldn’t do it.

It was already sunset when they pulled up behind an old shack in the middle of a reserve. His Dad had made it explicitly clear he wasn’t allowed to wander or explore this time. They weren’t staying more than the night and would leave early…

Which is how Keith ended up laying on the couch staring at the ceiling fan jostle- restless.   
His dad always slept on the floor, never agreed to a compromise or trade. He just took the floor, or the couch when keith had a bed instead. No matter how far he dragged the kid he always gave him the better place to sleep and always gave him the full meal when he could only afford one.

Keith had dressed in his longer sleeves, complaining about the heat as an excuse again.   
His dad didn’t say anything, told him to go to bed early because they were leaving early.

And after enough time Keith quietly slipped out of bed and wandered outside…

Outside was a whole other world. The world that looked like a dream or some fever hallucination. Keith buried his fingers in the sand and watched the grains slide away.   
He was scared, he was always scared though. He’d been that way since his mom had left.

And now he had something growing on him and he had no idea what to do…

He watched divots form in the sand as his tears fell. Little grains flying up and pebbling on his fingers. He didn’t wanna look up, didn’t want the moon hanging over him and painting his newest curse in the clearest light.

He sobbed quietly, broken up and desperately trying to clutch at the shifting sand-  
To distracted to hear the door open and close again.

He didn’t feel him coming, but he felt his father’s arms wrap around his shoulder and pull him into a hard hug.

Keith hiccuped and tried to bury his face into his Dad’s jacket. This wasn’t a normal occurrence but it had happened once or twice before- sometimes Keith was the one doing the comforting.

He felt a rough hand pick up his arm and hold it palm up towards the moon. Keith wanted to snatch it away but his dad held on.

“... sometimes… you’re more her than me..” his father whispers. Against the open land and subtle breeze, it almost gets lost to emptiness.  
Keith sniffles and tries to calm his breathing with the techniques his dad taught him, watching the man examine the markings and scrutinize over it.

“Waves?” he hums and smooths his thumb along the obvious icon,”ALmost looks like a navigation map..” he nods. “Maybe a sailor then...something along the lines of it..”

Keith frowns and tilts his head,”What do you mean?”

His dad sits back and looks up at the moon, a sad mask veiling over his eyes.  
“The marks, your mother’s people have them. She had one, and it brought her here so far from her home… her marks were different than your because they all have specific people in mind.” he sets Keith’s arm down. “Soul-bounds. Marks that show you who you’re bound to across the universe...yours is oceanic somehow..”

Keith looked back at the markings with wide eyes. “My soul-bound? How will I know who it is?” He looked from mark to father excitedly.  
His dad shrugged,”You mother told me that she just knew. But sometimes it takes longer… you may never really know who it is.”

Keith deflated and nodded,”Ok..guess that makes sense.” he runs his fingers along the marks. “It looks like constellations…” he holds his arm up and tries to find the right ones, but the stars don’t match this sky.

“No earth stars I know..” He dad shifts and stands up, offering his hand. “Maybe you’ll jus thave to find a new sky.”

Keith looked up and nodded,”I can do that. I’m supposed to right?” he extends his hand and lets his dad pull him to his feet.

“Sure are, it’s your destiny after all…” he sounds sad, but doesn’t say more. “Let’s get some sleep. Long drive ahead.” he leads the way back to the shack without another word.

Keith hesitates, holding his arm up to the moon one more time.  
“ _Who are you.._ ” he whispers, and then turns away and heads for bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Keith is 18 when he’s officially ready to start training for space exploration.

His Dad vanished years ago, and he followed the trail back to the place where this whole thing began. 

The Garrison is tight lipped and doesn’t allow for deviation. It also doesn’t allow for failure- which means Keith  _ has  _ to be the top of his grade. He’s the second youngest  in his grade by five months alone,  __ which means he just has to work harder.

The higher ups congratulate him on his “natural talent”. He only hopes they don’t somehow recognize him- or that he can hide his markings under the guise of a secret tattoo. 

So far, he hasn’t had much problem. And nothing’s exactly getting in his way…

Someone is though.

Lance…

Lance is the only one who catches up.

 

Where Keith needs to be strides ahead, tailing behind and nipping at his heels is Lance.

Although the first time they meet, Lance quite literally at his heels…

Keith genuinely hadn’t seen the other, not expecting anyone to be caught up to him on the lap. Let alone  _ crossing ahead _ .

He really didn’t mean to knock him over too, but he couldn’t help that he was just sturdier than the other cadets. He watched the tan boy sprawl out dramatically and was going to help him up when he got a full look at his wide eyes.

_ Blue...bluer than anything else. Blue like the California coast after a storm lifts. Like every pool of water in the map books or the neon signs of lagoon themed motels. _

Keith just stared- a little stunned and not sure why.

For some reason, he felt like he knew those eyes.

“Dude! What gives?” the guy squawks and Keith is jarred back to reality.

He gives a noncommittal shrug,”You should watch where you’re going..” 

He starts to jog off, already annoyed with his lame response before he left Lance’s personal space.

 

He couldn’t waste time on this- he was being evaluated for a potential grade skip and he desperately needed to be ready for it, ready to feel the controls under his palms.

Keith was, to say the least,  _ desperate. _

From then on, it felt like he had to prove himself even more. Like he was being compared when he needed to secure his place for certain. Lance, the guy was persistent. And Keith was impressed if not agitated.

 

Keith couldn’t focus- he kept drifting back to blue blue eyes and felt his skin itch at the barest hint of the memory. He was starting to slip when one of the junior officers approached him.

Shiro was his godsend. The older guy was more than willing to help Keith, and he was patient when Keith flew off in one of his adrenaline rushes. 

When Keith was trapped to his own natures, Shiro helped smooth out the human side. Even if he never knew he was doing it…

He got caught up- he enjoyed having a companion again and enjoyed being back at the top of his ranking.

 

And then his world came crashing down again.

He couldn’t believe it. He just, he just couldn’t accept. It was like his Mom, how she never felt  _ gone _ just not  _ here _ . 

He couldn't take it. Every dormant instinct just came out and he couldn’t pull it back in. He was shaking with fury and grief and when Iverson had the gall to confront him he refused to back down, the faint taste of cooper as he bit his tongue on pointier than normal canines. 

Shiro didn’t fail. This was another cover up- but Keith refused to back down…

 

And he was thrown out. 

 

Tossed into the night with his box full of belongings and a permanent ban from the facility and the neighboring facilities. Every hope being stripped from him.

All at once his destiny was being taken away from him.

 

It took him all night to walk into the desert. His feet ached and his chest was so tight. It felt like he’d failed…

By the time the shack came into view, the new day was coming over the distant plateaus and he could feel the distinct ache of _just missing_ _something._

What he knew, was that he missed the soothing relief of blue in this red red world. 


	3. Chapter 3

Keith is 21 and has more questions than answers.

He’s been searching for years now. Caught in a war across the universe and beyond fighting to earn his place in a world he’s yet to understand.

But now there’s more at stake. More roots than he’s ever had holding him down before. People he cares about and vows to protect. The only people he’s ever had.

These are his people. And he’ll throw away destiny if it means he can protect them.

In the end, his destination always came back to Lance.

He thought that maybe he would have to search till the end of his rope. That maybe, his soul-bound was binding him through time even. But it always came back to Lance somehow.

It only took finding him a couple more times before he really figured it out.

Regardless, he didn’t have much choice when Lance literally  _ dug him out _ whenever he had the chance.

And all at once Keith realized who the real Lance was.

Lance was the open-heart of Voltron. He smirked and flirted his way through diplomacy as naturally as he dropped his weapons and negotiated a truce between a planet plagued by civil war. Lance who would turn from his light hearted air and easy-going smile into their most skilled long range fighter, with the precision and exactness of a hardened soldier. 

Lance with eyes like the ever changing tide. 

Eyes that looked straight through Keith and made his skin break out in gooseflesh.

Lance who guided the team with a steady hand, who command the tumultuous space fields with precision and ease. Who kept the team on course and help to guide Keith back from his darkest places.

Lance who was fiercely determined, who not only encourage Keith to go with the blades and train, to find out who he was- but vouched for him when things didn’t go quite as planned. Lance who was loyal to the end and never shy away from telling Keith off for his short-temper or brashness- and never let Keith linger in his mind too long or loose himself to his nightmares.

Lance washing over his mind with utmost tenderness and care. He kept them grounded and kept them together when all else seemed hopeless. Who was waiting with open arms when Keith came home.

Home...Lance... _ Lance _

Lance with newer scars and dark eyes. Who took on the storm more and more but never strayed from his path. Who still tried to keep his palm smooth and let Keith run his fingers along the long lines of past mistakes.

Only so long as Lance was allowed to trace the design that echoed along his heartlines. 

“It was always you…” Keith admits once he’s sure. He’s oh so awake and holding onto Lance as the universe spins around them endlessly. Lance only crooked his head and smiled, running a nail along the circular patterns, connecting the dots of stars that reflected in his eyes from the wide windows.

“Me?” he grins, “What about me?”

Keith shrugs,”Can’t explain it. No one ever really knows…”

“What does that even mean?”

Sharp laughter, easier now with warmth in his chest to defrost it.

“How should I know? It just kinda showed up someday and I’ve been trying to find it ever since..”

“Well, did you? Find it that is..”

Keith smiles and kisses Lance so softly, always afraid he’ll slip out of his fingers like grains of sand.

“You...I found you.”


End file.
